Arkansas Tech University has earned national accreditation for its educator preparation programs.
The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) reviewed Arkansas Tech’s undergraduate and graduate programs in educator preparation and determined that the ATU College of Education meets CAEP educator preparation standards.
ATU is one of 25 providers from 18 states to receive CAEP accreditation for their educator preparation programs during fall 2020.
“These institutions meet high standards so that their students receive an education that prepares them to succeed in a diverse range of classrooms after they graduate,” said CAEP President Dr. Christopher A. Koch. “Seeking CAEP Accreditation is a significant commitment on the part of an educator preparation provider.”
CAEP is the sole nationally recognized accrediting body for educator preparation.
Accreditation is a non-governmental activity based on peer review that serves the dual functions of assuring quality and promoting improvement.
CAEP was created by the consolidation of the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education and the Teacher Education Accreditation Council. It is a unified accreditation system intent on raising the performance of all institutions focused on educator preparation.
Educator preparation providers seeking accreditation must pass peer review on five standards, which are based on two principles:
*Solid evidence that the provider’s graduates are competent and caring educators; and
*Solid evidence that the provider’s educator staff have the capacity to create a culture of evidence and use it to maintain and enhance the quality of the professional programs they offer.
“We extend our appreciation to CAEP for its thorough review of our programs in educator preparation,” said Dr. Linda Bean, dean of the ATU College of Education. “That review has confirmed the excellence of our programs, both in terms of the curriculum that we teach and the outstanding faculty members who work so diligently to ensure that our graduates are prepared to serve the next generation of students. This is a great achievement for the ATU College of Education and I am grateful for each member of our college who contributed to earning this distinction. The College of Education appreciates the support and collaboration of our students, alumni and partnership schools that participated in this accreditation process.”
Learn more about the ATU College of Education at www.atu.edu/education.
